Method of and machine for making rubber thread



e. VINCKE Aug. 12, 1941 METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUBBER THREAD File'd Jan. 22, 1938 3 Shets-Sheefll unnumnuum! I.

Aug; 12, 1941. I v cKgf I 2,252,389

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUBBER THREAD 7 Filed Jan. 22, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTGR Gerhard Vi nc ke Aug. 12, 1941. G. VINCKE METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUBBER THREAD Filed Jan. 22,- 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e R. Y m M NV R, w 0 mm G 5 h, a m a G Patented Aug. 12, 1941 METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUBBER THREAD 7 Gerhard Vincke, New York, ,N.' Y., assignor to Harry H. Straus, New York, N. Y.

Application January 22, 1938, Serial No. 186,275

14 Claims.

My present invention relates to improved methods of and apparatus for the manufacture of rubber thread from aqueous rubber dispersions and to the articles'resulting therefrom.

A feature of the invention is the improved method of making a rubber thread by winding a film of rubber spirallyupon itself in a helical path. V

A feature of the invention is the method of varying the pitch of the helical path of the film or films in the rolling thereof on itself or on one ity of flat films formed from an aqueous rubber dispersion and winding or rolling such films into a homogeneous mass in helical form, and performing the winding or rolling operation thereon while maintaining the films under tension.

A feature of the invention is an improved method of continuously forming rubber thread from a stretched rubber film which lays flat'on a roller and in which the rubber film winds or rolls by itself into a round threadby the action of pulling'the film laterally from the roller under tension.

A feature of the invention is the improved method of making a rubber thread in which the interiorportion has different characteristics than the exterior portion. j

A feature of 'theinvention is an improved method of making a thread by winding or rolling a plurality of films of rubber upon each other and in which the innermost film has different characteristics, as respects elasticity and resiliency from the outer layer.

A feature of the invention is an improved method of making a thread from a plurality of films spirally wound one upon the other in a helical path and in which'each succeeding film Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and on. a reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is aplan view of the forming roller and illustrating the means and method for removing the bands of rolled rubber or rubber like mate rial therefrom in thread form. r

Fig. 4 is a development of the surface of the forming. roller illustrated in Fig. 3, and illustrating the manner in which the plurality of rubber bands are wound on in helical form into a single thread cylindrical in cross section.

Fig. 5 is a section through a thread formed according to my present improved method.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic layout illustrating the forces involved in winding or rolling a band or a plurality of bands of rubber ,or rubber-like material into thread form.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a vulcanizing chamber with the mechanism involved in carrying an unvulcanized thread from the point of making the same into and through the vulcanizingchamb'er to any suitable collecting depot.

- Fig. 8 is'a-se'ctional plan view partly in elevation of a device forming part of the machine and adapted to produce a plurality of bands at different rates of speed.

Fig. 9 is a plan view illustrating a plurality of pick-up rollers each communicating with a separate latextank. r

Fig. 10 is a schematic layout illustrating a minimum for producing a composite thread from bands of latex or the like in which succeeding layers are rolled into the thread formation in opposite directions, and

Fig. 11 is a side elevationof the structure illustrated-in Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, El designates a tank for holding" liquid material, such as a rubber solution ll', preferably a dispersion of rubber in water, such as natural or concentrated latex which preferably contains the usual curing agents for these dispersions.- Th tank I0 is mounted on a platform I2' secured between the end members llof a suitable framework. Journaled in bearings formed in the frame members I2 is a shaft 13 to which is secured a roller M on which is formed theparallellyarranged member I5. Th members I5 as theyrotate are arranged to dip into the liquid material I! in the tank It) to any desired depth and as they rotate a certain proportion of the liquid material II will adhere to the surface, of the membersl5 and will be drawn up therefrom in the form of a film or band. Q

Any suitable means or method may be employed for preventing the formation of scum on the body of liquid material II such as latex in the tank I0. Such a means may take the form of a covering for the tank In which covers all exposed areas and thereby prevents access of air to the surface of the liquid II. In place of such a cover a mechanical steering arrangement may be added which constantly agitates the liquid II and thereby prevents the formation of scum. If desired, the addition to the liquid II of any suitable material, such for example as ammonia,

leys 36. The thread 30 passes through a talcing box 30a and is then delivered to a collecting box 31 where it is suitably prepared for subsequent vulcanization, should this be deemed necessary.

The collecting box 31 is preferably situated on the floor below that on which rests the mechanism above described. Such floor on which the collecting box 31 rests is designated by the reference numeral 31a. By thus arranging the talcing box 360. on the floor below there is a sufficient length of finished thread 30 below such may be utilized to prevent the formation of scum, or the liquid may be kept at a sufficiently low i temperature, as by refrigerating means, and thus prevent the formation of scum. Such means for preventing scum also may be utilized in any of the types of apparatus shown in the drawings accompanying the present specification.

Secured to one of the frame members I2 is a bracket I1 and on which is mounted a prime mover such as an electric motor I8 which, through the reduction gearing contained in the casing I9, rotates the shaft I3 and member I4 secured thereto in the direction of arrows shown in Fig. 1 and at any desired surface speed. Partially enclosing the circumference of the members I5 is an arc'uate member and which member houses a heating device 2| to which power is supplied through the conductors 22 from any suitable source of power. By means of the heating element 2I the films or bands I6 formed on the members I5 are continuously dried to a tacky condition after their formation and before the removal of such films'or bands from the members I5.

At any appropriate point with respect to the circumference of the members I5 and in the frame members I2 is rotatably mounted a shaft 23 and on such shaft is secured a stripping roller 24. The shaft 23 has secured adjacent its outer end a pulley 24 which is in alignment with a pulley 25'on the drive shaft of the motor I8 and a belt 26 extendingbetween the pulleys 24 and 25 causes a rotation of the shaft 23 and therefore the stripping roller 24 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. l.

Journaled in suitable bearings in the frame members I2 is a roller 21 which rests on the stripping roller 24 and is rotated thereby and which roller 21 serves to iron out the films or bands I6 as they are stripped from the members I5. The surface speed of the stripping roller 24 is in excess of the surface speed of the members I5 so that the films or bands I6 are under tensionas they are placed upon the stripping roller 24.

The films I6 are lead about the circumference of the roller 24 from which they are withdrawn sideways under tension by a pulley 3|. This withdrawing action of the tensioned films causes the winding movement of the film while on the surface of the cylinder, on which they take a helical path of varying pitch, the degree of pitch depending on the angle of withdrawal.

I find it advantageous to employ the roller 3| mounted on a substantially vertical axis 32 secured to one of the frame members I2 and the position of such axis determines the angle of pull of the thread formed from the films or bands I6. The roller 3| is rotatably mounted and is preferably positively rotated in any suitable manner. The roller 3I cooperates with a roller 33 mounted on a shaft 34 rotatably mounted in bearings in the frame members I2 and driven from the shaft 23 in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1 by means of the belt 35 and pultalcing box to insure that the weight thereof will be sufficient to cause a proper feed of the finished thread through the talcing box.

Referring now to Fig. 6 there is shown a diagrammatic layout illustrating the forces involved in rolling a plurality of films or bands into a single thread and wherein 49 designates a roller or drum mounted for rotation on a shaft M and whichv in its rotation draws the parallelly arranged bands 42, 43, from a roller on which the same is deposited, as for example, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. As the drum 49 rotates, the bands 42 and 43 are lead in a helical path around the roller 49 and in such movement the bands 42 and 43 are rolled together with the band 42 on the inside. That is, such band 42, when rolled up, will be enclosed by the band 43. The resulting thread 44 is removed from the roller 40 by being passed around a driven roller 45, and'by means of the drum 46 the completed thread 44 is moved in the direction of the arrow shown.

In the lower righthand portion of Fig. 6 is illustrated a development of the drum 43 and illustrates clearly the manner in which the bands 42 and43 are rolled together into a unitary structure resulting in the thread 44.

The tendency of the bands 42 and 43 to roll together is illustrated at the lower lefthand side of Fig. 6, where X represents the component developed by the tension or pull on the bands 42 and 43 from the device on which the same were made, while Y represents the component due to the pull exerted on the bands 42 and 43 by the force on the completed thread 44. The resultant of X and Y is designated by the line Z which represents the force that pulls the thread sideways and causes it to roll due to the adhesion of the rubber band to the curved surface of the roll.

The pitch of the helical path at which the film or band is rolled into a thread varies gradually for each cross-sectional point of the band. At the start of the rolling point the pitch is almost infinite and'then as the thread builds up and increases in diameter the pitch becomes correspondingly smaller and smaller so that for each diameter the thread winds up at its corresponding pitch, resulting in a balanced thread. That is, considering the longitudinal axis I39 of the film or band 42 (see Fig. 6) it will be noted that adjacent the righthand edge of the film or band 42 the angle of wind is the angle included between the longitudinal axis I33 and the line I3I. As. the other or lefthand side of the film or band 42 is approached the angle of wind is increased so that as the lefthand edge of the film or band 42 is approached this angle increases so that, as the lefthand edge of the film or band 42 is reached the angle is that included between the axis I30 and the line I32. The film or band 42 therefore is helically wound upon itself and each turn of the winding lies practically fiat upon the'preceding turn. There results there- 2,252,389 fore a thread in-which allparts are underfsubstantially the same tension. 7 I

As the thread 44' is preferably made of rubber or rubber-like material which is unvulcanized and therefore inpractically a raw-state I may utilize the apparatus shown in Fig. 7 for the purpose of passing such thread 44 through a=-vulcanizer, as through the vulcanizingchamber 4'I, heated by any suitable heater, as the heat element 40. Preferably I pass the thread 44 as the same is traveled over thedrum 46 through a magazine or box 49 for the purpose of coating the outer surface of the thread 44 with a suitable powder, as talcum powder. Such thread 44 passes downwardly in the direction of the arrow "shown over a pulley 50 which isrotatably mounted on a shaft 53, and thencethe thread follows the path of the arrow over the rotatablymounted pulleys 54, 55, 56 and 51 and thence over a' pulley rotatably mounted on the shaft 53, and which pulley is not shown because of its locationbehind'the pulley 52. The thread then" passes I downwardly and under a pulley, also not'sho-wn because of its location behind the pulley 50 on the shaft 5i, and passes upwardly in the direction of the arrow shown over a pulley 58 rotat ably mounted on the shaft 59. The thread is then lead downwardly into any suitable collecting receptacle 50.

While the pulleys 54 to 51 inclusive are rotatably mounted, they are preferably secured to their respective shafts and the shafts are positively driven in unison to thereby determine the rate of speed of the thread through thevulcanizing chamber 41. Infthis manner the vuloanizing may bexdetermined with certainty. Also by properly connecting the driving mechanism of the shafts of said pulleys to the mechanism for operating the heater 48 the duration of the vulas shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or the thread 44 as shown in Fig. 6 and in which the interior thereof is of a distinctly different character than the exterior thereof. For example, the films orbands 52 and the right hand film or band I6 as shown in Fig. 3 may be considerably harder in character thanlthe film or band 43 as shown in'Fig. 6, or the left hand film or band I as shown in Fig. 3,

and the result therefore is' 'a composite thread which has a relatively hard inner portion'or core, and a relatively soft or more elastic'outer portion or covering.

Referring now to Figs. 8'and 9, there is shown in Fig. 8, for example, a tank 9| adapted tb contain liquid material such as latex and into which the peripheral edges of the"wheels 92 and 03 dip, in the same manner asthe wheels I fdip into the tank I0asshown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 9 *is shown a tank 94 divided-'- into a plurality of "compartments 95 and-96'respe'c'tively and into which compartments "dip theperipher'al edges of :the whe'els 92'and'93respectivelyfl. I. J 'The'wheels 92: and .93; as shownin. Fig;: ;8,. are :designedto rotate at differentcspeeds and: for

this purpose there is shown the bearing members 91 and 98 of the framework I2 of the machine. In the bearing 91 is rotatably mounted a shaft 99 which has secured thereto a grooved pulley I00 over which runs a belt (not shown) for rotating the shaft 99 by suitable connecting means from the prime mover I8 shown in Fig. 2. Keyed to the shaft 99 is a collar IOI which has formed integral therewith, in. the present instance, the wheel 92 and therefore the wheel 92 has a peripheral speed determined by the speed of the prime mover I8 and the size of the grooved pulley I00.

The shaft 99 is bored as indicated by the reference numeral I02 to receive as a rotating fit a shaft I03 and which shaft also is rotatably mounted in the bearing 98. Securedto the shaft I03 by pin I04 is a collar I05. Formed integral with said collar is the wheel 93. The wheels 92 and 93 are of the same external diameter. Secured to the shaft I03 is a groove pulley I00 adapted to be driven by a suitable belting connection from the prime mover I8.

The diameter of the grooved pulley I06 in the present instance, is considerably less than the diameter of the grooved pulley I00 and therefore the peripheral speed of the wheel 93 is measurably greater than the peripheral speed of the wheel 92. It results therefore that the film or band I01 of latex is made faster than the band I09 of latex. It follows therefore that the film or band I01 of latex is delivered to the stripping roller I09 underless tension than is the band I08 oflatex Q Therefore in the manufacture of the rubber thread H0 which is drawn off from the roller I09 over theroller I I I, that portion of the thread made from the band I08 is rolled under a higher tension than is the outer layer thereof and which outer layer is composed of the band I01. As a matter of fact, it is possible to lay the band I0! onthe rolled up band I08 with but very little {tension Whatever existing therein. There results therefore a composite thread in which, while the films or bands of latex have the same characteristic, the resulting thread has an inner or core portion which has different physical characteristics than the outer or cover portion. Y

Referring now to Fig. 9 the wheels 92 and 93 dipjrespectively into the compartments 95 and 96 of thetank 94 and in which compartments may be latex or other rubber or rubber-like composition or solution, and in which the materials in each of the tanks or compartments have widely varying characteristics. By this means it is possible to utilize the method of making a thread illustrated linFig, 8 and preceding figures and it will be apparent that a composite thread havaccording to my present invention, comprises utilizinga plurality of bands and helically winding the same and wherein the succeeding band of a plurality of bands is helically wound upon a preceding band and with the lay of the helical winding of such succeeding band in the opposite "direction to the lay of the helical winding of the preceding band. A structure by means of which this improved method may be carried out is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 where H2, H3 and ll4 {designate respectively the rollers over which the .band 5 1 and l I a e wn from the band making device. The roller H2 receives the band of latex or other. rubber or rubber-like material H5, and such band is wound upon itself in a helical lay, and the resultingv thread H9 is drawn off from the roller H2 over the idler roller H8. From such roller H8 the thread H9 is led over the roller H3 where itcombines with and has laid thereon in a helical lay the band H6, and such band H6 will be laid on the thread H9 in a direction opposite to the lay of the thread H9. The resulting thread designated by the numeral I is drawn, from the roll H3 over the idler roll HI and is laid onto the roll I I4, where it is combined with the band I ll of latex or other rubber or rubber-like composition, and such band H1 is laid onto the thread H9 in a direction opposite to the lay of the band H6. The resulting composite thread I22 is drawn from the roll H4 over the roll I23.

Whereas I have described my invention by specific reference to forms thereof, it will be understood .that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: v

1. That improved method of forming a thread substantially cylindrical in cross-section from a film or band, which consists in leading such band under tension and in a helical path along a constantly rotating roller, and withdrawing such band laterally of and at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller while maintaining the same under tension to thereby cause the band to roll by itself under the effect of its stresses upon itself in a helical form and spiral lay.

2. That improved method of forming a thread substantially cylindrical in cross-section from a plurality of films, which consists in leading such films under tension and parallel to each other around a constantly rotating roller, and withdrawing such films laterally of and at an angle to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the roller while maintaining the films under tension to'thereby cause the films to roll spirally upon each other in helical form.

3. That improved method of forming a thread of resilient material, which comprises forming a film from the material, tensioning the film in the direction of its length, leading the same onto a surface to maintain the film in the tensioned condition, and withdrawing said film under tension from thesurface laterally of the direction of length of the film whereby the film rolls upon itself in a spiral lay and helical path.

4. As an improved article of manufacture a thread made from a plurality of films of rubber wound together under tension, one of the films being rolled spirally upon the other or others and in which the tension of the outer film is less than the tension in the inner film or films.

5. As an improved article of manufacture a thread of rubber made from a plurality of films of rubber spirally wound upon each other and in which one of the films is wound under greater tension than the others.

6. As an improved article of manufacture a thread made from a plurality of films of rubber, the material of the different films having different characteristics and said films being rolled spirally one upon another into a homogeneous thread. s V

"I. As an improved article of manufacture a thread of rubber made from a-pluralityof films of rubber, the material of the different films having different characteristics and said films being rolled spirally one upon another into a homogeneous thread and with the tension in the outer film less than the tension in the inner film.

8. That improved method of forming a thread of resilient material, which comprises forming a band from the material, tensioning the band in the direction of its length, placing the same on a. surface to'maintain the band in the tensioned condition, withdrawing said band from the surface laterally. of the direction of length of the band and under tension, whereby the band is rolled upon itself in a spiral lay and helical path, and then vulcanizing.

.9. That improved method of forming a thread from a liquid containing rubber, which comprises continuously forming a film from the liquid materiaL'primarily drying the film thus formed to a tacky condition, placing the film under tension and leading the film onto and in engagement with a rotating roller, and withdrawing the film laterally and under tension from the rotating roller at an angle to a plane perpendicular to theaxis of rotation of such roller, to thereby cause a winding upon itself of the film in a helical path and spiral lay.

10'; "That improved method of forming a thread substantially cylindrical in' cross section from a film, which consists in leading such film under tension around a constantly rotating cylinder, and withdrawing such film laterally of and at an'angle to" a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder, while maintaining the film under tension to thereby cause it to roll by itself sidewise on the surface of the cylinder under the effect of its internal stresses.

11. As an improved article of manufacture, a thread of rubber composed of a film of rubber spirally wound upon itself in a helical path in one direction and enclosed by a film of rubber spirally wound upon itself in a helical path in the opposite direction.

12. In a machine for making threads from a film of "rubber, the combination of a rotatable stripping cylinder adapted to receive a film of rubber on its surface under tension, means for Withdrawing the film laterally in thread form from thestripping cylinder, and means for driving the stripping cylinder and said last-named means at substantially the same speed.

13. In a machine for making threads from a 'film'of rubber, the combination of a tank for holding the rubber in liquid form, a forming wheel, the forming wheel having a portion of its periphery dipping into the liquid within the tank, a first stripping roller, positioned with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of the forming wheel, means for rotating the first stripping roller and forming wheel in the same direction and for rotating'the first stripping roller at a greater surface speed than the surface speed of the forming wheel, conditioning means partially encircling the periphery of the forming wheel to condition the film formed on the forming wheel as the same rotates and prior to being stripped therefrom from the first stripping roller, a second stripping roller positioned with its axis at an angle to the first stripping roller, means for rotating the second stripping roller at a greater surface speed .than'the surface speed of the first stripping roller, whereby the second stripping roller withdraws the finished thread to one side of the axis of rotation of the first stripping roller under tension, and causes the film to roll upon itself in helical form and spiral lay under the eiTect of the stretching stresses.

14. In a machine for making a thread of rubber substantially cylindrical in cross-section from a plurality oi. films of rubber, which comprises in combination, a tank for holding the rubber in liquid form, a plurality of parallelly arranged Wheels each having a portion of its periphery dipping into the liquid rubber within the tank, means for rotating said wheels to thereby cause a film of rubber to be deposited on the face of each of these wheels continuously as the same rotate, means for conditioning the films to tacky condition, a stripping roller mounted parallel to the Wheels and rotating at a greater surface speed than the surface speed of the wheels, whereby the films are stripped from the wheels under tension and wound on the stripping roller, and means for causing the films to roll into a thread on the roller, and for withdrawing the thread from the roller, which comprises an element positioned to withdraw the formed thread under tension at an angle to a plane lying perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the stripping roller.

GERHARD VINCKE. 

